Shock absorber shear mounts are intended to isolate the shock rod loads from the vehicle. The challenge for a shear mount design is to provide flexibility to tune a soft rate for ride feel without compromising durability of the shear mount. Common shear mount designs rarely achieve the balance of smooth ride feel and durability of the shear mount.
Shear mounts are normally used to absorb low amplitude loads transferred between the shock rod and the vehicle. Common shear mounts are bonded to surfaces adjacent to the shock rod and are capable of absorbing low amplitude shock motion. In order to provide for a soft ride feel, it is desirable to reduce the durometer or hardness of the resilient elements used to form the shear mount. The disadvantage of reducing the durometer of this material is that the durability is reduced. Common shear mounts having durometer values providing for increased durability do not provide a soft ride feel. Increasing the size of the shear mount to provide a greater extended operating range has the disadvantage of increased weight, cost, and space envelope for the shock absorber.
It is therefore desirable to provide a shock absorber design which is capable of providing both a soft ride feel and durability for the shock absorber.